Initial assessment
WordPress Error Cases

Fatal error: Allowed memory size of … bytes exhausted

“Allowed memory size of … bytes exhausted” in WordPress: causes and what to check

Updated 2026-10-30
# Common log entries
PHP Fatal error:  Allowed memory size of 268435456 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 20480 bytes) in …/wp-includes/…

PHP stops a request when it uses more memory than the memory_limit setting allows. WordPress then shows a white screen, a critical error message, or this fatal error.

Which of these matches what you see?

A plugin, theme, or core process uses more memory than the current limit on every request. The number in the message is the limit in bytes; 268435456 bytes is 256 MB.

The task needs more memory than regular page views. Note which action triggers the error; the file path in the message points to the code that was running.

A new plugin or theme version can load more code or data on every request. Check which component was updated shortly before the error appeared.

Common causes

Low memory_limit on the hostThe PHP setting is lower than the site needs.
WP_MEMORY_LIMIT set too lowwp-config.php sets a limit below what plugins require.
Large autoloaded optionsOptions loaded on every request grow over time and take memory.
A plugin loop or large queryOne component reads more data than the limit allows.

What the system does

A white screen or error message caused by memory exhaustion is handled automatically: the system raises the memory limit and, after the fix, re-verifies that the home page and inner pages load.

  1. Initial assessmentEnter the site URL
  2. Copy to the recovery stationWork runs on the copy
  3. Find the causeItem-by-item checks
  4. Recover and re-checkHome and inner pages
  5. Write back or deliverOnly after re-checks pass

Use WP119 when the dashboard does not load or you prefer not to edit wp-config.php or server settings.

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